HARRISONBURG, VA- With high expectations set on the 2012 season, the Southern Vermont College Mountaineer baseball team was tripped up this weekend against Eastern Mennonite. The Royals swept SVC in its three game set by scores of 23-10, 10-7, and 12-9.
In game one the Mountaineers trailed 4-1, before senior captain Pat Warrington drilled a three run home run in the top of the fifth to tie the game. However, in the bottom half of the inning the Royals answered with seven runs to take control of the game. Southern Vermont made a late rally and scored six runs in the top of the ninth. It was too little too late though with the damage already done and SVC fell in its season opener 23-10.
In the opener Warrington, Corey D. Briggs, and Sal Sciara all had two hits. Five other Mountaineers had a hit including seniors Rob Murawski and Ian Valentine, freshmen Jarod Hayen and Cam Simpson, along with Dillon Desiderato. Warrington led the team with three RBI's and Simpson had two RBI's on his hit. Connor Murray started for SVC, pitched four innings and gave up four earned while striking out four.
The second game of the weekend looked as if Southern Vermont was going to even the series, when the Mountaineers scored seven runs in the second inning. Bennington native, Corey Armstrong started the inning with a leadoff walk and Sciara was hit two pitches later. Keith Diotte then hit a single and Desiderato chased home two with a double. Two batters later, Dave Northup and Hayen each singled to give SVC a 3-2 advantage. Warrington hit a two RBI single to right center before Armstrong hit a triple to cap the scoring for the Mountaineers.
The Royals continued to battle back in the game with a run in the bottom half of the second and two more in the third. Two fifth inning singles and a hit by pitch followed by a triple gave the Royals a lead they wouldn't relinquish. EMU went on to score five runs in the fifth and held SVC scoreless in the sixth and seventh to win 10-7.
Kurt Kowalczyk got the loss on the mound as he gave up four earned runs in four and a third innings. Briggs pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief. Desiderato led SVC at the plate with three hits and two RBI's.
Sunday afternoon, the Mountaineers turned to junior captain Joel DeFedele on the mound. DeFedele gave SVC a chance to salvage a sweep with five innings of work and three earned runs. The captain allowed eight hits, walked two and struck out one in his first collegiate start. In the sixth, SVC turned to junior Max Ginter on the mound down 4-2. Ginter then chucked a scoreless sixth before the Mountaineers tied the score at four in the top of the seventh.
In the bottom half of the seventh, the Mountaineers were plagued by three errors, that allowed seven unearned runs to score that allowed the Royals to take an 11-4 lead. SVC responded with a run in the top of the eighth, and EMU tacked on a run in the bottom of the frame with a solo home run. SVC would make a late rally once again in the top of the ninth. After back to back singles from Armstrong and Diotte, Valentine walked to set up freshman Chris Nicastro with his first collegiate home run. Nicastro blasted a grand slam over the left field fence to make the game 12-9. The Royals immediately made a pitching change and brought in closer Beau Banglesdorf to close the game with the final two outs and the weekend sweep.
SVC will be back in action next week when they travel to Tucson, AZ for its spring break. The Mountaineers will play eight games on its trip to Arizona and open with Coe College at 5PM.